1. Ovechkin's dominance: Russian star Alex Ovechkin's remarkable play was the top story line of the final six weeks of the NHL season. He netted 22 goals in his final 21 games. The Washington Capitals were going nowhere before Ovechkin came to life. He was like a bulldozer clearing the Capitals' path into the playoffs.

Two months ago, Washington looked like a team in need of a makeover. Now, no team looks forward to playing the Capitals, whose confidence continues to grow. When Ovechkin looks unstoppable, the Capitals look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

2. No Crosby, no problem: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, recovering from a broken jaw, will be given the go-ahead to play at some point in the team's first-round series against the New York Islanders.

Crosby has felt no pressure to rush back because the Penguins continue to pile up wins. They were 8-2 in their last 10 games without him. They also kept chugging along when they lost Evgeni Malkin, Paul Martin, Kris Letang and James Neal to injury. That's why they are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

3. Isn't that Roberto in net? Last summer, the Vancouver Canucks made a decision that it was time for Cory Schneider to be the No. 1 goalie ahead of veteran Roberto Luongo. But general manager Mike Gillis wasn't able to move Luongo then or before last month's trade deadline.

Now, with the playoffs about to start, Luongo could end up playing in the first round because of an injury to Schneider.

Schneider wasn't sharp early in the season, and there were times when it seemed Vancouver would be better served to move him. The Canucks still are looking to move Luongo but possibly not before we see him as their playoff goalie.

4. Red Wings won't go away: This is the 22nd consecutive season in which the Detroit Red Wings are in the playoffs. To put that into perspective, consider the NHL's second-highest active streak is the San Jose Sharks' nine-year run.

Red Wings defenseman Danny Dekeyser was two months old the last time the Red Wings missed the playoffs in 1990.

To slide into the No. 7 spot, the Red Wings won their last four games. More important, they seemed to rediscover their offensive flair in those games.

The bottom line: The Red Wings, still led by skilled veterans such as Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, are among the league's hottest teams heading into the postseason.

5. Win one for Iggy: Veteran Pittsburgh players all have championship rings from their 2009 run, but they are rallying around the banner of helping veterans Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Douglas Murray and Jussi Jokinen win the Stanley Cup for the first time.

It's particularly important for Iginla, who turns 36 on July 1. Morrow is 34, and Murray is 33. Jokinen is 30.

The additions of Iginla, Morrow and Murray, in particular, have made the Penguins a far grittier team for the playoffs.

6. Canada's series: The hockey world was rooting for a Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens playoff series to happen. Instead, fans get the Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal.

Maybe it doesn't have the same romance with fans, but this could be among the best first-round series. Even though Montreal is the No. 2 seed and Ottawa is No. 7, it reads like a toss-up series. The Senators have the better defensive team, and the Canadiens have the better offensive team.

Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson's return from an Achilles injury a month ahead of schedule is another reason this series looks even.

7. What money can buy: Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold committed $98 million apiece to winger Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter over 13 years with the hope the moves would dramatically improve his hockey team.

The immediate dividend was the team's first playoff appearance since 2008. But the Wild landed the No. 8 seed, meaning they have to play the Presidents' Trophy-winning Chicago Blackhawks in the first round.

Even with Parise having a good season, the Wild are the lowest-scoring Western playoff team. Chicago outscored Minnesota by 33 goals.

The Wild are also the only playoff team that gave up more goals than it scored this season.

8. Nash is novice: Rick Nash is a 28-year-old high-profile scorer, but he has no idea what it feels like to win an NHL playoff game.

Although Nash is in his 10th NHL season, he will be playing only his fifth playoff game when the New York Rangers meet the Capitals in the opening round.

The Columbus Blue Jackets made the playoffs once during his career with them, and the Red Wings swept them in four games.

Nash certainly knows what pressure feels like, and he will probably feel it again, because the Rangers will need Brad Richards and him to have a productive series to down the white-hot Capitals. Nash led the Rangers with 21 goals in 44 games this season.

9. Selanne's farewell tour? The Anaheim Ducks' better-than-expected performance this season gives the team high hopes for an extended playoff run.

The Ducks will be counting on Teemu Selanne to provide offensive pop. What general manager Bob Murray doesn't know is whether this will be Selanne's last playoff run.

Selanne, 42, doesn't drop hints. He is playing season-to-season at this point in his career.

The Ducks hope he comes back, because he is still productive and one of the league's most respected players.

10. Sharks float under radar: For the last several years, pundits seemed fond of picking the Sharks for a lengthy playoff run.

The Sharks have enjoyed postseason success but never reached the Stanley Cup Final.

This season, no one is talking about San Jose, even though it was 17-2-5 at home. Could this be the season when the Sharks surprise everyone in a different way?